SEPTEMBER 2018
ISSUE 28
K I NGFI S H E R FAMILY Launching a new ministry season What a summer! The past couple with Jesus and grow radically in of months have been actiontheir faith. packed here at Kingfisher. Whilst the various groups such as Tuesday Coffee Morning, Seniors, TSPA and so on have had a summer break, there has been so much else happening. Treasure Seekers had their most successful open day - SummerFest - ever, with hundreds of people visiting the various buildings, taking part in a treasure hunt, face painting, karaoke, craft activities, a cream tea… and various Disney characters making an appearance. In Westgate Street there was a Juggling skills act and live music in the Cavern. This year’s Holiday Club - Lego Adventure - was a great success. 160 children booked up for a week of fun, games, competitions, and learning about how brilliant Jesus is, all within the context of the Lego movies. At the end of the week, as well as having had an amazing time, 29 children made a commitment to follow Jesus Christ!
This is a significant year for us at Kingfisher, both here in the UK and as we continue to spread and grow around the world
How are you going to end this year? What would it mean to end this year well? Do you have faith that the next four months are going to see breakthroughs and steps of faith that you have not yet seen? We started this year - our Silver Jubilee year - with God directing us to three challenges in terms of growth: •
Authority (knowing who we are in Christ)
•
Jubilee (experiencing a release from bondage; restoration to a previous state; rejoicing in our newfound freedom)
•
Spiritual Warfare (putting our spiritual authority into action, understanding what Jesus meant when he taught us to pray: “Let your Kingdom come; let your will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.” (Matthew 6:10)
Let’s make the last four months of 2018 some of the most significant in terms of growth, especially int these areas, so that we can proclaim at the end of this year, Our teenagers set off to the lastAs we move into the Autumn, but-one Soul Survivor for a time of there is a sense of new beginnings, ‘The end of the matter really was better than the beginning!’ This is a camping and growing in their with ministries and groups starting significant year for us at Christian faith alongside 10,000 up and - dare I say it - Christmas other teenagers. The organisers of on the horizon. This brings to mind Kingfisher, both here in the UK and as we continue to spread and Soul have decided that 2019 will a verse in the Bible: grow around the world. With just be the last ever Soul Survivor, “The end of the matter is better than four months to go, will you pray which will be the end of an that these months will be the most the beginning and patience is better incredible era that has seen significant yet? hundreds of our teenagers have a than pride.” (Ecclesiastes 7:8) fresh (or first time) encounter
News from Kingfisher Church Great success at this summers holiday club This year’s holiday club took place at the beginning of August and 160 children joined us for a week of fun, games, competitions, and learning about how brilliant Jesus is. The theme of the week was Lego Adventure - based on the Lego Movie and the stories of David from the bible. The week ended with every child receiving a prize bag and 29 children making a commitment to follow Jesus Christ! A big thank you must go to Rach Bennett and her team of 48 volunteers for putting on such an amazing week.
The Lego Adventure Reunion Service took place on the first Sunday in September and that too was a big success. Seven children who had attended Lego Adventure bought their families to see a snapshot of what they had got up to during holiday club week, and everyone enjoyed a bbq after the service.
*
The start of new season at Kingfisher Tredworth * At the beginning of this year we had a target to see 100 people start or restart their journey of faith by the end of 2018. It’s been wonderful to see new people join us and those we haven’t seen for a while coming to ask questions and explore what it means to follow Jesus but we still have people to reach church, there is work to be done in the harvest fields so let’s keep praying for our plus ones, let’s be brave in inviting people to come and see, let’s show hospitality and let’s be serious about getting trained up as effective witnesses for Jesus. Let’s make this season count! From Sunday 9th September we’ll be starting a new 10am series called ‘I believe?’ Here’s the synopsis: What I believe affects how I think and feel. It determines how I act, what I do, where I go and who I go with. To believe is to accept that something is true, but is everything we believe really true? And is it possible to change what I believe? This three week series will explore the questions, ‘What do I believe about God? What do I believe about myself? And
what do I believe about the world?’ It’s time to take a check on who I am listening to and what I am believing as we look at what Jesus believed and what He taught about right believing leading to right living.
News from Kingfisher Church Church picnic social It is really important as church family that we don’t just meet up for an hour a week for a church meeting but that we spend time together socially too. Effective community is built on relationship and that only happens if we are intentional about getting to know each other better. Community happens in the groups and events that we run and closer relationships are built in our Connect groups, but we also plan in some altogether social events throughout the year here at church, opportunities for everyone to contribute, time to hang out with no other agenda and a safe place to bring friends and family who don’t usually come to church.
In June, with the sun blazing, we had a great picnic in the Glebe field adjacent to our church building in Tredworth. Steve and Elaine Evans manned the barbecue and the kids (and some adults) enjoyed the bouncy castles! It was great to see so many there, despite the heat, a real reminder that we are family and how good it is to spend time together. Watch out for our next curry night coming up in the Autumn!
A new look for the front corridor Towards the end of July a handful of people did an amazing job of decorating the front corridor. The green walls have been repainted in an icy blue colour which matches our new church banners. Huge thanks to those who volunteered their time to make this transformation happen.
Celebrations We had a lot to celebrate in July! On Sunday 8th July we welcomed Rory James Tyndall into the Kingfisher family with a dedication service for him, and on Sunday 22nd July we did the same for Ethan James Neininger, welcoming him into our church family. On Tuesday 31st July many of our congregation were blessed to be able to celebrate the wedding of Ben and Morwenna Taylor.
News from Kingfisher Treasure Seekers Themed discos continue for Treasure Seekers Our popular themed discos have continued over the summer with a Beach Party theme in June, 80’s and World Cup themed weeks in July and a Back to School theme in August. As you can see, lots of our disco attendees really enjoy getting dressed up and involved in the fun and games of these nights!
News from Kingfisher Treasure Seekers Fun at Summer Fest 2018 On Saturday 28th July Treasure Seekers held a summer festival called Summer Fest 2018. Well over a hundred people visited the Treasure Seekers buildings in Westgate Street and took part in some of the many activities on offer. There was face painting, mini games, an opportunity to meet some Disney characters and knights and princess lessons all taking place in The Lighthouse.
There was also a treasure hunt which took place over all areas of the Treasure Seekers buildings as well as cream teas, an art exhibition and a mini disco. The festival was a great success, largely down to some fantastic planning by Naffy Arrowsmith and Andy Davis and the help of many volunteers on the day.
Down in The Cavern there was live music and video game competitions including a Mario Kart ‘Beat the Boss’ competition.
Support at the Cavern update Support at the Cavern has been running for an amazing two years. It was born out of a vision to see a safe place for anyone struggling with their mental health, a place that people could find a distraction and somewhere they weren’t alone. We open intentionally during the evenings, at a time when very few other services open and we are open every day so that it can be a really reliable part of people’s lives they don’t have try and remember what days we are open. In those two years we have grown from a dozen or so people a night to regularly having 30-50 people come through each evening. The staff team has grown from an initial two to six
but one thing that has kept us going throughout has been the heart and commitment of people who volunteer every week. On top of the business of normal life I am so grateful for the time and energy those people have invested. Many people who come into support have been passed from place to place, appointment to appointment, offered short spaces of time to try and explain overwhelmingly difficult struggles and find some sort of way forward. We are able to offer a space where no one is labelled, there are no appointment time limits (other than we’d quite like to go to bed at 11pm!) and people are willing to give freely of their time to come alongside them. One of the most
powerful things is this acknowledges the value of each individual - each person is worth our time and energy, whether that’s in the form of hundreds of games of dominoes or just sitting with someone when words are too difficult to find. In times when people can feel completely hopeless, we are able to carry glimpses of hope just by being there. I want to thank you as the church for standing behind us, for praying and encouraging and a massive thank you to all those who give so sacrificially of your time, you have no idea of the impact you have on people’s lives.
News from the Kingfisher Family Feedback from the International Day of Prayer Spain
India
Mala
wi “God is answ at Nerja. We en av e he ri n en g op so me d an prayers. The A new “Yesterday we ha d so much. The love of God, se are the n of the international day se c es la ew Kingfi Kingfisher bl ss t iri en th Sp be y is ve year at our all ha the Hol Kingfisher L sher pastors in Centre. Ple s, the power of su church Je ity of un ry t lo ea G ead gr e as a th sense. There was ed over the will be trav e, keep us in your pra ership Training has been yers e ay everybody could li pr n nations into g by bus in a long jou . On 10 July, I n us and all who ns. There was planted in rney of cro and love betwee R tio w ga anda to ss sher congre very much Orissa! interesting visit a small team whic ing world from Kingfi eaven. God loves it when his to h is in H o in th pen a Kingfi eir nation. T was a great joy also sher Churc hey have in a picture: There ed iv ce re I c . o h ity n v it d uct a Kingfi e heaven body is in un sher leaders d me to go there to er ministries in sh gfi in m K e e ! e th T th h of h e e ip trai Lord center From ther this year, an blessed me with mo ning. Pray for hen we prayed. fell on each re bags of m d (many angels) w to D O m G o of rrow I e glory ai the market golden light of th l congregations have been to sell som am getting ready to go ze e al d o to an f to e a th ac e cover the c er with prayer pl ost of my tr bags for helping me aven and togeth aged us he e e x th p ith e n w se an d te s in this sport an connec y encour ts. The prayer da to you afte journey!! More feedb d some rope of red hear a great harvest is coming out r coming bac ac k. Thank yo k will come prayers. Sta Uschi” d very much. I feel an u for your r te Pe , gs y blessed. Ch essin arles!!!!” from this day. Bl “People gath a number of e ere able allocate p w rayer reque red the whole day pra e w to ch ur le ch op a pe r yin st “As fo y da e th ughout very glad to s you sent on Interne g for all the prayer slots thro not have any t d re di p e o w rt gh th ou at many mo to us. We are Alth have been d re great thin pray from home. ayer we do feel that there is a o n e in th gs e Kingfisher C pr hurch is op different areas where direct answers to of the Holy Spirit over our e ce ra Kingfisher C tin essings, greater presen hurch at th g. Stay blessed, from last few weeks. Bl e centre of meetings in the Malawi” Howard”
UK “We had meeting a wonderful day s that you in the UK yeste in our church r d planted id too. The new day and I pray just a few church t with ma hat we months n a lives to C y who have yet go was packed to h the subje rist. We had an commit their open for c t o f fin life, whe re people ding God's will fo um on r your could as they wan k good to ted on that subje any questions h normally ear people who ct. It was so go wo about G to church askin uld never od, faith . God ble g questions ss, James .”
Philippines • One of the breakthroughs is the growing of the church in faith and numbers. Lord's youth night increase in numbers started from 15 and is now 60 and growing • Another church will be built this year because of growing bible study in Sitio Pantay • We received lots of church donations in Sitio Gulod (next project after Pantay church building) • 30 persons baptized last summer Thanks for all praying for us here, as we pray you all. God bless, Pastor Delfin
Kingfisher churches in the UK, Malawi and Mozambique celebrating on the IDOP
News from the Kingfisher Family Resources oon ! s g n i C om
I Am Who I Am God has many names in the Bible, and each on reveals an aspect of His character that will bless us and strengthen us. This resource takes 40 of those names, explains what each one means and how it can significantly bless us in our lives. This free resource will be available for you to download from October 1st from our website.
The God of Promise There are literally thousands of promises made in the Bible; promises people make to each other, promises people make to God, and most importantly of all, promises that God makes to us. Every single promise that He makes is backed up by a particular guarantee: the honour of His name (Psalm 138:2) Kingfisher International Family stands as testimony to the truth that, when God makes a promise, He keeps it. The amazing growth and development of this Family of churches and ministries that stretches around the world is based on the outworking of a series of promises made to us by God. Coming to understand those promises and, more importantly, the promises He has made in your life is an adventure that leads to some life-changing discoveries. Are you on that adventure with the God of Promise yet?
High Impact Christians What does the world expect of Christians today? Very little would probably be the honest answer. The church is marginalised, largely disregarded by policy-makers and the public alike, with Christianity seen at best as a life-style choice, one among many. When it comes to Christianity, society’s expectations are often low. This book challenges us to expect more - to set our sights on becoming High Impact Christians, just as were the believers in the Early church - those ordinary people who were impacted by an extraordinary encounter with Jesus Christ and who, as a result, turned the world upside-down. With opportunities for group discussion, this book highlights seen strategic ways of becoming a High Impact Christian in a low expectation world.
Visit the Resources page at www.kingfisher.org.uk for more details
GET INVOLVED WITH THE NEWSLETTER! In order for this newsletter to grow and develop, we need your help! If you go to any Kingfisher event and have taken a great photo, then please post it on our Facebook page or email it to Kirsty at kirstydalley@kingfisher.org.uk. The copy deadline for the next issue (due out in December 2018) is 21st November. If you would like to get involved in the production of the next newsletter then email us with your particular area of interest. Hope you enjoy hearing all that is happening across the Kingfisher Family!
Kingfisher Church Moor Street Tredworth Gloucester GL1 4NJ www.kingfisher.org.uk info@kingfisher.org.uk +441452 304339 Š Kingfisher Church, 2013